


Spoiled

by Odae



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24823597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Odae/pseuds/Odae
Summary: Fire Lord Zuko has been giving quite a lot of gifts to his ambassador, Sokka, and Sokka is determined to get to the bottom of it. As soon as he's finished his massage, of course.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 489





	Spoiled

Sokka arrives at his quarters in the Fire Nation royal palace after a long day of meetings, his neck aching and his back a mess of knots. 

“What I wouldn’t give for a hot bath,” he says to himself before pushing open his door. 

His mouth drops at the sight before him. Three attendants stand inside his room, all around a large massage table. Various jars of oils have been placed on his dresser, and piles of fluffy towels cover his bed. Bouquets of flowers —larger than any he’s ever seen—dot almost every level surface of the room, and the only light is various candles on the flower. 

“What is this?” he almost squeals. He blanches and clears his throat, dropping his voice an octave when he says, “I mean, what is this?”

One of the attendants steps forward. “A gift from the Fire Lord,” he explains. He smiles kindly and gestures to the table. “We’ve been ordered to help relieve your stress with our nation’s traditional six-handed massage.”

Sokka nods appreciatively, his hand coming up to rest on his chin. “Well, I do deserve it,” he says. He looks around the room at the flowers once more, and his brow furrows once more in confusion. “But wait, Zuko? Zuko did all this?”

The attendant looks back at his colleagues. They shrug. “Well, we did the actual work,” the attendant points out, turning back around to Sokka. “But the Fire Lord asked us.”

“Even the candles?”

“Yes,” the attendant replies. “Would you like to sample the oil choices for your massage? We have ylang-ylang, lavender, orange blossom—”

“And the flowers?” 

The attendant sighs. “Yes, and the flowers.”

Sokka considers the room once more. 

“Sir, would you like your massage, or—”

“I need to talk to Zuko,” Sokka interrupts, heading for the door. 

The attendants look at each other in a panic. 

“We have a new ocean spray scent!” one of them shouts. 

Sokka stops in his tracks and turns around. He grins, almost maniacally. “I guess it won’t make much difference if I talk to him in an hour,” he says, already pulling his shirt off. 

Two of the attendants glance at each other at the sight of the chiseled, near-naked warrior, while the third coughs and says, “Actually, sir, the traditional six-handed massage normally lasts three hours.”

Sokka gawks at them, his face stretching into an expression they can only assume is delight. “Well, let’s not waste any time,” he says, hurrying onto the table. The attendants set to work, covering him in the fluffy towels and pouring oil onto their hands. He sighs as they begin kneading the knots out of his back. “I could get used to this,” he says dreamily. 

* * *

Three hours later, a newly limber Sokka rushes through the halls of the palace to Zuko’s quarters. He bangs on the door, striking it with both fists, until it opens suddenly. Sokka springs back. Zuko stands in front of him with his hair down in a short robe, open to reveal he wears nothing but a pair of shorts underneath. 

“Can I help you, Sokka?” he asks. 

Sokka looks up quickly from Zuko’s chest to his amber eyes. “Uh, yeah, actually,” he says hurriedly. “Actually, wait, can I come in? Unless it’s too late. I can come back tomorrow, but I’d really rather—”

Zuko opens the door wider and gestures for Sokka to come in. They sit on two settees facing each other, a few feet away from the Fire Lord’s bed. Sokka becomes painfully aware of the fact that he is in Zuko’s bedroom.

“Do you want some tea?” Zuko offers, gesturing to a pot on the low table between them. “I have jasmine, but I know you really like chrysanthemum. I can ask a servant to bring another pot.”

Sokka shakes his head hurriedly. “Jasmine’s good,” he says, leaning forward. 

Zuko pours the tea into two cups, and the two men sit in front of each other waiting for it to cool.

“So, what’s up?” Zuko finally asks. He leans back, and the robe falls open to further expose his torso. 

“First, I wanted to thank you for the massage,” Sokka says sincerely, avoiding looking at Zuko’s body. 

“Oh, did you like it?” Zuko smiles lightly, his eyes bright. 

“It was  _ heavenly _ ,” Sokka gushes, his eyes closing as he recalls it. They open abruptly. “But I also wanted to ask—you’ve been giving me a lot of stuff lately.”

Zuko looks startled. “Oh,” he says gruffly. “Have I?”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Sokka says quickly, shaking his head, “I love stuff.” He points to himself. “Big stuff guy over here!” He grins warily. “It’s just, between the new swords, all of the maps, not to mention the atlases, that cool belt, and now this?” He pauses, and his voice turns quiet. “I’m beginning to wonder what it means.”

Zuko’s cheeks turn red, and he grabs his teacup. He grimaces as it’s still too hot, but he keeps holding it anyway, and even goes to take a sip. Finally, he addresses Sokka.

“I guess I didn’t realize how much I was doing it,” he says. He looks away. “I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable.”

“No, no,” Sokka hurries to say. He grabs Zuko’s free hand. “That’s not what I meant at all.” He smiles at Zuko when the latter finally ventures to look at him again. “I promise, you haven’t made me uncomfortable. In fact,” he jokes, “I think that massage made me more comfortable than I’ve been in years.”

Zuko manages a small smile. He looks at his hand in Sokka’s. 

“You’ve been so helpful to me,” Zuko says quietly. “Not just recently, but ever since we met and became friends. It means a lot. Not many people have been there for me like that besides my uncle. I just want you to know how much I appreciate you.” He hangs his head slightly. “Because I do appreciate you. A lot.”

Sokka can only stare at Zuko, surprise filling every plane of his face. He becomes painfully conscious of the feeling of Zuko’s thumb unconsciously running over his knuckles, back and forth, slowly, in the tenderest gesture of affection he’s received in his life. Sokka grins. 

“Zuko,” he says gently. 

Zuko looks up. 

“Do you like me?”

“What?” Zuko stammers. “Of course, I like you. We’re friends—”

“Not like that.” Sokka smiles kindly, patiently. 

Zuko’s eyes go wide, and he pulls his hand away from Sokka’s to bury it in his hair. “Yes, fine,” he says hoarsely. “I like you. A lot.” He groans. “Now, can we never talk about this again?”

“Zuko,” he says softly.

“What, do you want to embarrass me more?” 

“I don’t think it’s embarrassing,” Sokka says simply, “especially if I like you back.” 

Zuko looks up abruptly. “What?” he breathes. 

“I’m your ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe,” Sokka explains in a rush. “You really think I have to live in the palace and come to every single one of your meetings?” He shrugs. “I must love you at least a little to sit through every update on the firework budget, don’t you think?”

“What?” Zuko asks again, dazed. 

Sokka stands and takes the cup from Zuko’s hand. “I’m saying I love you,” he says in the steady tone of his voice. And in a move Zuko could never have expected, Sokka places his hand to cradle the left side of Zuko’s face, tilting it upward, and leans forward to kiss him. 

Zuko’s eyes close as he finally feels Sokka’s lips on his, gentle and steady, parting slightly to suck lightly on Zuko’s bottom lip. Sokka smells of something fresh and salty—the phrase that comes to Zuko’s mind is ocean spray? He reaches up to pull Sokka toward him by the waist, gasping as Sokka moves his mouth to the corner of Zuko’s mouth, to the underside of his jaw, his throat, his ear. 

“I love you,” Zuko says breathlessly. 

Sokka pauses his ministration. “I’d hope,” he laughs. “You’ve spent more than enough to show it.”

“I can stop—”

Sokka places a finger to Zuko’s mouth and shakes his head. “Like I said, I’m not complaining. I do love stuff.”

Zuko chuckles. “I did mean what I said, though,” he says. “That I want to show you how much I appreciate you.”

“Don’t worry.” Sokka settles into the seat next to him and tugs at Zuko’s hand to lean into him. “I can think of plenty of ways you can do that.”

“I’d love to hear them,” Zuko says with a wry smile. 

“Well, I have been thinking of getting an axe,” Sokka starts, bringing his fingers once again to his chin. “And I think I’d look really cool in a leather vest. Oh!” He snaps his fingers. “And those mongoose-goose feather pillows at the Beifongs’ house. Never slept better.”

Zuko laughs. “And that’ll be enough?”

“It’ll be a start,” Sokka says cheekily. He presses another kiss to Zuko’s neck and grins when he feels him shiver. “For now, though, this is more than enough.” And he leans forward to kiss him again.


End file.
